Breech-loading ordnance.



No. 628,870. Patented July M, 1399 C. H. TOMPKINSJ BREECH LOADINGOBDNANCE.

(Application filed Feb. 20, 1897.)

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(Application filed Feb. 20, 1897.)

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No. 628,870. Patented July I899. c. H. TDMPKINS.

BBEECH LOADING DRDNANCE.

(Application filed Feb. 20, 1897.) '(N M0 B 5 Shets-Shet 5.

'Arsnii CHARLES H. TOMPKINS, O'F SOMERVILLE. NEW JERSEY.

BREECH-LOAD ING ORDNANCE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 628,870, dated. July11, 1899.

Application filed February 20, 1897- Serial No. 624,489. 0 model-l T uall whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES H. Tomrnms, acitizen of the United States,residing at Somerville, in the county of Somerset and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBi-eecbLoading Ordnance; and I do hereby declare the following to be a.full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in. the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to breech-loading ordnance, andhas for its objectto improve the same with a view of increased efiicieucy.

To these ends my invention consists of the novel devices and novelcombinations of devices which will be hereinafter described'and definedin the claims.

. The invention is iiiustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinlike notations refor to like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view looking at the rear end of a'gun equippedwith my improved breech mechanism, with the breech mechanism closed andlocked to the gun. Fig. 2 is a horizontal central section through thebreech and breech mechanism, with the parts shown as they would appearafter firing and before the block is unlocked from the gun. Fig. 3 is aperspective view of the parts shown in Fig. 1, with the breech mechanismin its open position. Fig: 4 is chiefly a horizontal central sectionthrough the breech and breech mechanism, but with some portions brokenaway and others shown in plan, with the breech mechanism at the extremelimit'of its opening movement. Fig.5 is a perspective view showing theextractor-lever detached. Fig. 6 is. a similar view looking at theextractor-lever in the opposite direction. Fig. 7 is a detail insectional perspective for showing the relation of the logs on theextractor-lever to the lugs on the carrier. Fig. 8 is a. perspect-iveview showing the hinge lugeplate of the gun detached' Fig. 9 is asectional perspective showing the carrier and breechbiock and theiroperative parts detached from the gun. Fig. 10 is a perspective view ofthe breech-block detached from the carrier. Fig. 11 is a sectionalperspective of the carrier ,with the breech-block, rotator, andfiring-pin emoved. Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the breech-block, withthe finger of the rotating lever sectioned in working position and theline of the levers travel shown in dotted lines. Fig. 13 is aperspective view of the sear detached. of s breech-block, and carrier,respectively, showing a modified construction for connecting the blockand carrier. Figs. 16 and 17 are perspective views illustrating a.further modification for connecting the breech-block and carrier, inxolving the carrier-ring shown in Fig. 16, which is removably secured tothe carrier shown in Fig. 17. Fig. 18 is a'detail,

partly in section, showing the means for clos ing the rotator-fingerslot in the breech-block Figs. 14 and 15 are perspective viewscarrierfor the purpose of keeping out dust The breech of the gun a and theexterior of the cylindrical'breech-block b are provided with screw andblank segments or slottings; which are in com plemental relation to eachother in the breech and on the block for cooperation to lock and unlockthe block in respect to the gun by rotary movement of theblock. Asshown, the screwsegmentsand slottirigs are quadruple or fourin numberfor permitting the block to be locked to the gun or unlocked therefromby one-eighth tupn of the block, The screw-threads at the rear end ofthe block in the construction shown in the main views, Figs.- 1 to 12,inclusive, are uninterrupted and engage with corresponding threadsformed in s-countersunk seat for the block on the inner face of the carrier 0. Otherwise stated, the block 1) screws into the carrier 0 andalwaysengages there.- with substantially in thesame way as in theSeabnry patent, No. 514,967,0f February 20, 1894. The carrier-plate c isof angular form in plan view or horizontal section, so as to olfset thehinge-lugs of the same and permit the carrier to be piyotaliy connectedto the gun by the hinge-pin c at a point on the side of the gunpreferably about midway of the breech, as best shown in Figs. 1 to 4,inclnsi've. The proper surfaces of the screw-segments in the breech andon the block-are cut away op the proper arcs with respect to thehinge-pin c or carrier-axis for permitting the block to swing directlyout of the breech and into the same when unlocked. The block b isrecessed to fit over a bearing-pint-le 0', proj'ecting from the innerface of the carrier in lot) esssvo e hin ge-pin h the firing-pin p iscooked by the cmnh just before the completion of the unlocking rotarymovement oi. the block under the action of the lever-finger h the finishof the unlocking rotary motion of the block the stop-stud b of the blockenters- Hence at the sear-notch s with the sheet of lockin g the scarand the firing-pin in cocked position until the relocking movement ofthe blockhas begun. At the same time that the sear is thus locked by thestud b theblcck islocked pin -h and While turning with the carrier onthe carrier hingepin c. This guerdingsci ion of the cam 71, on thefiring-pin also continues during the return or closing movement of thebreech mechanism up to the line! part of the locking movement of theblock to the breech. Atthe finishoi the locking movement of theblock tothe breech the lip of the cam It must of course be in a. position toafford the necessm-y clearance to the cocking-studp for permilling thefiring action. From the foregoing statement it will be seen that duringell the time that the block is out of the gun two guaids againstpremature discharge are in action, and this is also true for aninstnnt.before the completion of the unlocking movement of theblcck and for aninstant after the z'elocking motion of the block begins. Then during theremainder of the locking move-' ment of the block a single guard-to\vit,tl ie comb -continues to not until 3' ust before the final step oftheblocks locking movement.

The action of the sear has been described as if the seeritself was usedas the trigger for theattachmentof thelanyerd; but,ns shown, the sear isprovided with a toe s for cooperw .tion with the spring-seated triggers, loo-sled on the gun. Aguide-h'ook 's" is also shown .on the gun forthe lanyard when firing from the rear.

The shell-extractor e is mounted in s suitable sent in the breech of thegut so no to work or slide in one of the blank segments thereof. Thesaid extractor-e is shown as provided with a recess or hole e forreceiving the inner end of the extractor-lever r. This extrnctor lererris mounted in a suitable recess a, cut in the well of the gun-breechdirectly opposite to the carrier hinge-pin c, which recess a is ofproper form for codpem ation with said lever, as will presently ap pear.The'hlnge-lug piste a of the gun is also provided with e passage a, asshown in extractor lever.

crown or outer end of this lever-head is cut I away, as best shown inFigs. 5 and 6, to atford e. front pair of shoulders or lugs r and a rearpair of lugs or shoulders 'r, projecting from the reduced connecting-webr of the head. The hinge-lugs of the carrier 0 are provided with s.pairot' projecting lugs 15, facing each other and spaced apart forembracing the web 'r of the extractor-lever'r, as best shown in Figs. 2.4, and 7. These lugs ton the carrier interlock with the lugs 1' and 'rofthe extractor-lever at certain parts of the calriers movement, as willpresently be noted. The said lugs t on the carrier are so shaped ss-toform eshoulder l onthe carrier, which operates at the proper time onthe-lever-head at or near the lugsr. With this construc tion andrelation of the lugs on the carrier and the logs on the extractordeverclearly in mind the notion of the extractor-lever may be best understoodby reference to Figs. 2 and 4. In the after.- firing position of theports, as shown in Fla. 2, the extractore and the extractor-lever? areso related that the said lever'fulcru ms on the gun at the point 1).Later on the fulcrum of said lever 'rshifts to the point '2), near the'exteriorof the gun, and finally the fulcrum shifts to-the carrier-pinc. The lugs-i on the carrier are so relaxed to the lugs r and r on theextractor-lever that a limited amount ofidle movement is permitted tothe carrier before action begins on the This permits the moving psi-tsof the breech closing mechanism to gather considerable momentum beforethe lugs t of the carrier abut against the lugs r on the head of theextractor-leverin the opening movement. As quick as the lugs i of thecerrier do interlock with the lugsrof the le ver-heed theextractorlever, the carrier 0, and the hand-lever it become practicallya. single lever of the first class, with the fulcrum on the-gun at thepoint '2), near to the weight or the extractor e. This enormousleverage, togethervwith the gathered momentum of the-moving ports.affords a. powerful prying action for starting the shell from the gun.In this primary action the lever-head moves forwsrd across thecarrier-pin 0 until the lever fulcrums at the point 0 on the gun.

When this 00- cure, the carrier-pin 0' becomes the fulcrum 1 end theshoulder t on the carrier suddenly strikes the head of the lever at ornear the lugs r, with the effect of importing a. sudden flip or kick tothe extractor and bringing the parts into theposition shown inFig. 4. On

the reverse or closing movement oi the breech mechanism the carrier-lugstact on the rearsage a in the gun hinge-lug a, substantially.

dost-tight when the parts are in their closed positiomns shown in Fig.2.

When the breech mechanism is in its closed position, the raised part ofthe carrier-plate directly surrounding the breech-block fits into aslightly-tapered coon terbored recess a et-the month of the breech forclosing the breech with e dust-proof joint.

In the modification shown in Figs. it and 15 the screw and blanksegments or slots oi the breech-block are extended entirely to the rearend of the block, and the seat for the block in the carrier-plate c isalso provided with suitable screw and blank segments,wiih thescrew-segments 3 located on the vertical and horizontal diameters of thegun when the breech mechanism is closed. As the screwents'snd theslottings or blank-segments of block are the forty-five-degree diagonnlsof the gun when the block is locked to the gun, it follows that theblock will be free from the carrier when locked to the gun, but thescrew-segments of the block will engsge with the screw-segments y of thecarrier when the block is unlocked fromthe gun. Hence with thisconstruction (shown in Figs. 1% and 15) the shock. from the explosionupon firing will be taken entirely on the block. With this constructionthe cerrier can also be re moved from the block by first pulling thecmrier and hinge-pin c in case the block should become irremovnbly fastto the gun. The screw-segments y in the carrier end the rear ends of thescrew-segments on-the block are preferably left straight, so as toprevent the carrier from being pulled off the block before the relativemovementof the block csn he started under the initial opening notion ofthe bend-lever h.

In the further modification shown in Figs. l5 and 17 the continuousthresds at the resr of the block engage with s sleeve or ring .2, whichis removably secured to the carrier. This ring z is shown as providedwith guide lugs 2', which enter cooperating guidewsys z on the carrierfor centering the ring in proper working position, and when than locstedthe ring is secured to the carrier by screws .2 or other equivalentdevices, so es to be trentedin all ordinary actions as an integral partof the carrier; but in the rere cese or emergency of the breech-blockbecoming inremovably fast in the gun the screws z or other securingdevices msy be withdrnwn, thereby permitting the ring 2 end the carrierof hreech-block-end is independent of any particular number ofscrew-segments when the cylindrical block is employed. It will also beunderstood that the position of the carrier hinge-pin 0' may be variedat will to n point further forward, farther resrwsrd,.

farther outward, or farther inward in respect to the axis of the gun.Otherwise stnted,the position of sold carrier hinge-pin or axis will bedetermined for eseh gun according to its size, type, dimensions, andform of breechblock or other requirements Smnmary of operatiom-Thegeneral action and advantages of this breech mcchan' ism are probablyclear from the foregoing detailed description of theperts, but th y bebriefly-summarized as follows: All the worl; is'done under a continuousswinging movement oi the hand-lever it from the position shown in Figs.1 and 2 to the position shown in Figs. 3 end 4 end roturn. Under theinitiel opening movement of the hand-lever h,

or while turning on its own hinge-pin k, the

breech block is nnloclzed from the gun and locked to the cscrier, thefiring-pin is cooked, end the gnsrds egsinst premature dischsrge ereset. As the block reaches the limit of its rotery unlocking motion theblock pin b -renches thelimit of the carrier-slot 0, thereby arrestingthe rotnry motion of the block and the pivotal motion of said lever h onits own hinge-pin, end all the parts must then swing together on thecarrier hinge-pin o as s center. Under this outward-swing ingg movementat the lever and carrier together the logs on the carrier interlock withthe logs on the QKiiiitGtOlrlOVQl' with the peenlist-r action described,thereby ejecting the shell. After reloading the. reverse movement of thehand-lever restores all the parts I to the position shown in Fig. 1,with the block. looked to the gun, dust-tight, end the firing-pin cockedready for the use of the gun.

Adoaretogee-$ome of the advantages of this mechanism may be stated asfollows:

(a) It is simple, with few and strong parts. Nothinghss been sold in thedetailed description as to the questions of proportion, dimensions,would he snitsbieto the type of gnu and the perticnler nses of theperticnlsr parts. It many he noted, however, that the carrier-plate isprefer-only e steel forging or en annealed steel csetine end thet asbetween cerrieran the breech closed.

esas'ro block the shell-extracting strain falls on the horizontaldiameters of the gun.

stog'pin b of the block.

The rotator or device for locking and unlocking the block from the gunshows a most direct application of power from the handlever withouttendency to cant the block and with.the friction reduced to a minimum.It permits of great'force being exerted without danger of injuring themechanism and can never fail to function through wear and tear of theparts.

(c) The device or mechanism for extracting the cartridge-shell is alsoadapted for the most efiective application of power, operating under acompound leverage, first with a slow motion to start the shell, thenwith an accelerated motion, and finally with a kick to eject the shell.This extracting mechanism is also advantageously arranged in that itdoes not come into play until after the blockls unlocked from the-gunand is partly withdrawn therefrom. It involves no springs or cams, andthe extractor does not turn about'the head of the cartridge-case.

(d) There is complete protection against premature discharge and againstinjury to the mechanism by blow backs.

(e) There is'very little cutting away of the gun or the block and whatthere is is almost entirely confined to the blank-segments.

This advantage is due partly to the position of the carrier hinge-pinand partly to the fact that the threaded segments on the block and inthe breech are on the forty-five-de-e gree diagonals in respect to thebore of the gun instead of being on the vertical and The recess for theextracting-lever cuts away the body of the gun very little, and therotator or unlocking device cuts it not at all.

(f) The gun is dust-tightwhcn the breech mechanism is closed.

(g) The mechanism is easily dismantled or assembled, and when either ofthe modifications shown in Figs. 14 to 17, inclusive, are used forconnecting the block to the carrier the carrier and other parts can beremoved, when the block becomes irremovably fast in the gun.

(h) The principle of constructioudisclosed in this breech mechanism isapplicable to guns of allsizes and for opening to the left as well asto,the right. If the breech-block is to be swung to the left, asfo'r'the 3.2-inch gun,

the mechanism as here shown would p'ractitors Patent of the UnitedStutesJs as fol:

lows:

.1. The combination with a gun, rotative breech-block andbreech-blockcarrier pivoted to the gun, of a rotntor for said blocs,coniprising a lever pivoted to the rear face of said carrier and haulagefinger extending through a slot in said carrier and connecting with therear end of said block, at a mint eccentric to the axis of the block,with the said lever mounted to move suhsmntiallytangeut alto said pointof connection withthe bloclusub stuntially as described.

2. The combination with agun and rotative breech-block, of a rotator forsaid block, comprising a pivoted lever having a finger which connects byball-and-socket joint with the rear end of the block, at a pointeccentric to the axis of the block, and is mounted to move substantiallytangential to said point of connection with the block, substantially asdescribed. v

The combination with the gun, the rotative breech-block and the pivotedcarrier, of the lever pivoted to the rear face of the car: rier andprovided with the finger which works through a slot in said carrier andengages, as a ball, with a socket in the rear end of the block, at apoint eccentric to the axis of the block, with said lever mounted tomove substantially tangential to its point of connection with the block,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

4. The combination with the gun, of the breech-bloch carrier pivoted tothe gun and having the central bearing-pintle, the breechblock rotativeon said pintle, the sear-arresting -stop-pin projecting from the'rearface of said block into a segmental stop-groove on the forward face ofthe carrier and the bellcrank lever pivoted to the rear face of thecarrier with its short arm or finger working through a slot in thecarrier and engaging an eccentric socket on the rear face of said block,all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination with a gun, .rotative breech-block and breech-blockcarrier, of a rotator for said block, comprising a lever pivoted to thecarrier and having a finger engaging the rear face .of said blockeccentric.

to the blocks ax is, a. firing-pin having a cocking-stud, and acocking-cam, carried by said 'ivotcd lever, operative to engage saidcocklug-stud, for cooking the firing-pin, during the unlocking movementand for guarding against premature discharge while the block is out ofthe gun and until rclocked thereto,

substantially as described.

6. The combination with aguu, of a breechblock carrier having asegmental stop-groove 7. The combination with a gnu, a rotativebreech-block, carrier, firing-pin and sear,-ef a sear-arresting stop, onthe block, and a handlever having a cocking-cam, with said parts soarranged that said sear-arresting stop and said cockingoam both act asguards, against premature discharge, din-int all the time the hlockjsout oi the gun and for an instant after its relocking motion begins,'and that said cocking-cam continues to act as a. guard during allexcept the final instant of said blocks relocking motion to the gun,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

8. The combination with the gun, of the relative breechblock having thestop-pin and linger-socket on the rear face, bot-h eccentric to the axisthereof, the carrier having the segmental stop-groove in which saidstop-pin works, the lever pivoted to the carrier and having at fingerengaging said socket on the block, the firing-pin with cooking stud, thecam on said lever engaging said cocking-stud for cooking thefiring-pin,- during the unlocking movement of theblock, and guardingsame,during mostof the relooking movement of said block, and theradially-movable sear having the notch registering with said stepgrooveof the carrier and receiving said stoppin of the block, for locking saidscar and firing-pin in cocked position while out of the gun and untilthe relocking movement of the block has begun, substantially asdescribed 9. The com hination with a gun, of a carrier ha ving s.-pintle, a breech-block roretive on said pintle, vents extending throughsaid pintle, and a firing-pin seated in said pintle' and block, withsaid firing-pin constructed to control said vents and said vents sodisposed as to lead to the atmosphere without passing through the pinseat or passage of said pintle, substentially as and for the purpose-setforth.

10. The combination with a gzun, of a carrier having a pintle, abreech-block rota ing on said pintle, vents extending through saidpintle, end it firing-pin seated in said pintle and block, which pin isconstructed to control the admission to-said vents at both ends, forpermitting the escape of the gases from the breech, upon blow-hack, andto exclude dirt when the parts are in the sitter-firing position.

11. The combination with a gun, of a carrier having a pintle, abreech-block rotative on said pin tle,e firing-pin seated in s passageformed partly in the pintle and partly in the block and having a portionwhich acts as a valve controlling the joint opening between the pintleand the block, and vents tapping said joint opening and leading to thentiuosphere, substantially as desorili d.

12. The combination with the gun, of the carrier having the centralpintle, the breechneeero block rotati've on said pintle, the headedfiring-pin centrally disposed rin axial passages of said carrier pintleand block, and having a. valve-action collar \vorkingin a counterbore'ol. said pintle and seating against the enlarged outer end orvalve-mouth of the pin-passage in the bloc'k, under the action of itsspring, upon firing, and vents extending longitudinally through saidpint-1e but within the radius of the pin-head. whereby said collarcontrols the admission to the inner ends of said vents, for the esoepeof air or gas from the breech, end said pin-heed covers the outer end ofsaid vents, after firing, for excluding dust, substantially asdescribed.

13. The combination with block and carrier, of-a non-rotatingring-having a screw-threaded engagement with the block, and seated inthe carrier with a. sliding fit, end rrneens for removnbly locking thesaid a gun, breeoh-" ring to said carrier, whereby, in case thebreech-block'should become irremovably fast in the gun, the carrier andother parts may be removedtherefrom, substantially asidescribed.

'14. The combination with the breech-block and the carrier, of theconnecting-ring having internel threads engaginerexternel threadson therear end of the block, and provided with radisl lock-lugs on; itsexterior, the ring-Beet.

in the carrier providedwith ways fox-receiving said lugs, and screws orequivalent devices for removablysecuring-the said ring to the carrier,substantially esdescribed.

15. The combination with e; gun-breech, breeoh-block and carrier,all-having screw and blank segments, with the screw-segments of thecarrier so disposed in respectto those on the block and in the breech,that when the block is locked to the breech it will be free from thecarrier and conversely, snbstantiellv as described.

16. In a breech-loading gun of the slottedscrew system,l he combinationwith thebreechblock carrier hinged to the gun and slotted to permit thepassage therethrough of the retator-finger, of the breech-blockrevoluhly mounted in said carrier and provided with a socket in its rearfor the end of the rdtator finger, the bell-crank lever pivoted or thecarrier and provided with an operating-arm, end with a 'rotetor-tingerpassing through said slot in the carrier said rotstor-finger having asector in rear of the carrier for closing the slot in the carrierthrough which said finger works, substentially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES H. TOMPKlNS.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. Conny, A. Hmxwon WALLIS.

